1408 UnderWater Stage

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We already told you that 1408 is coming to DVD and showed you 3 new 1408 clips and now we got some neat info on the way it was shot! Based on a short story by Stephen King, and starring John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson, ‘1408’ tells the chilling tale of Mike Enslin (John Cusack), a debunker of paranormal occurrences, who upon entering room 1408 of the Dolphin Hotel is thrust into a terror beyond all imagining. Some of the most chilling scenes in 1408 were filmed at the purpose-built Underwater Stageat Pinewood Studios in itspermanently-filled and heated tank.

Special effects supervisor Paul Corbould, was in control of flooding the hotel suite with water; “It was immediately apparent that we would need the wide ranging facilities offered by the Pinewood Studios Underwater Stage and the unique experience and knowledge of Dave Shaw and his team at Diving Services UK”. Paul Corbould’s team at Pinewood Studios built a moving rig on a gimble within the tank at the Underwater Stage that supported the two room 1408 set. The moving rig allowed the set to move in and out of the tank to flood with water.

During the two week shoot the films special effects department used many lighting and other effects to simulate ice and snow with water tip tanks and water jets. Paul Corbould says; “The stage was our only option for many reasons. It was deep enough to allow us to build a three sectioned 16 tonne gimble, with the strength to carry the weight. This allowed it to pitch and roll as required for the sequence”.